conuly

I was always small for my age, so physically I looked younger than I was, but people would often forget how young I was or be shocked to learn my age because of how young I was. This was true pretty much until I graduated college when I still looked young and people were shocked to learn I was an adult and not even all that recently one. (When I was 22 years old someone actually thought I was 12.) The surprise started pretty much as soon as I was talking, which means age 2. I was apparently fairly quiet for a long time and then spoke very clearly and in complete sentences, although with a far more limited vocabulary than I would develop.

Technically, people were actually shocked at how young I was the day I was born, but that doesn't really count. They just didn't believe I was actually only a few hours old when my sister stopped to pick up some ice cream on the way back from taking me to the pediatrician for a check-up right after I was born (well, right after I was born, bathed, and had my umbilical cord cut and tied). But that wasn't about development or abilities but people's assumptions about babies that young being in hospitals.

Anyhow, given that I looked younger than I was and people were surprised at how young I was, I don't find it odd that people would forget how young a child is who is advanced mentally but physically average for her age.

On a side note, what other little physical things can't young kids do?